1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reproducing apparatus, a reproducing method, a computer program, a program storage medium, a data structure, a recording medium, a recording device and a method of manufacturing the recording medium. In particular, the present invention relates to a reproducing apparatus, a reproducing method, a computer program, a program storage medium, a data structure, a recording medium, a recording device and a method of manufacturing the recording medium for appropriate use in mixing playback audio data.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-20242 discloses a technique to simultaneously view different contents. In this technique, image data of a plurality of contents are decoded and then mixed into uncompressed video data. The uncompressed video data is then digital-to-analog (D/A) converted, output to a video output terminal, and then displayed on an external display device.
In the disclosed technique, to mix video data, each pieces of compressed (encoded) video data needs to be decoded, and then mixed into uncompressed video data. This process must be performed not only on the video data but also on audio data. To mix the audio data, uncompressed audio data is required.
Output data must be encoded depending on a function of an output destination apparatus or a connection method with the output destination apparatus.
For example, main audio data may be mixed with another audio data, and the output mixed audio data may be encoded data. Such a process is described below with reference to FIG. 1.
A first audio data acquisition unit 11 acquires first audio data in the encoded form read and supplied from an optical disk, and then supplies the first audio data to a decoder 12. The first audio data is a content that is continuously reproduced. The decoder 12 decodes the encoded (compressed) data supplied by the first audio data acquisition unit 11, and then supplies the uncompressed first audio data to a mixer 14.
A second audio data acquisition unit 13 acquires-uncompressed second audio data, and then supplies the second audio data to the mixer 14. Upon receipt of the uncompressed second audio data from the second audio data acquisition unit 13, the mixer 14 mixes the second audio data with the uncompressed first audio data supplied from the decoder 12, and supplies the mixed audio data to an encoder 15.
The encoder 15 encodes the supplied audio data, and then supplies the encoded audio data to a digital interface 16. The digital interface 16 transmits the supplied audio data to another apparatus via a predetermined network.